The Return of Angel
by Puppy Soul
Summary: This is a story of what I think should happen in Angel! As you know, Angel was off in the last book. This is to explain why and to bring Fang back and to tie together loose ends! Please R&R! Thanks!
1. Challenge

Max POV:

I feel terrible. Not sick, just terrible. I need Fang by my side to live.

He said leaving was what would be best for us. I don't think so. He said he loved me, so why'd he go before at least kissing me goodbye? He said not to follow him, which is exactly what I want to do. He said to wait until 20 years have gone by before meeting him again. I'm not patient.

Worst of all, he said this was the hardest thing he's ever done. Which means all that other stuff is more than true. And I love him too.

I'm laying in his room night and day, reading his stuff he left behind for me on his computer. I don't dare read the note again, I can't stand the heartbreak. I can't move myself, even to go downstairs and eat. This is about the wost thing that could ever happen to me.

To make this whole situation go down a notch, Dylan has been tying to replace Fang like he was meant to do. I can't ever love him the way I love Fang. He's only 8 months old! I've known Fang for 15 years! But he just doesn't seem to get it.

Great. Incoming. I groan and stiffly roll to face the door, hearing footsteps in the hallway. There comes a light tap. "Come in," I whisper. The door opens, and in walks Angel. Great. Just what I need. More disappointment. You see, Angel told us Fang would be the first to die. Fang interpreted this as whoever was near him was in big danger, part of the reason he left. (I heard this from Dylan) She's also campaigning to be leader. What can I say? Much has changed since her first kidnapping!

"I wanted to apologize, Max, for giving Fang the idea he has to leave. He already died, before you brought him back, didn't he? So I don't know why he's still worrying, but it's surely my fault." I noticed now that her expression was one of regret and pain. "I know you feel like you'll die without hmi. I sent him a brain message saying so. But you have to live, okay? Live and be the leader." And she hugged me tight, just like old times.

"Who's controlling your mind now, Ange? Just a week ago you were an evil mind controller who almost killed me and voted me out of leaership!" She looked stunnned at my comment. "Nobody! I really just wanted to say sorry for what I did!" It was then that she caught the little spark of hope that was forming a plan in my head. "You know what, Angel? Prove it. You can prove to me you're still loyal, trustworthy, Max's little girl in a single thing: Get me Fang. Convince him to come back. Do whatever it takes, just bring him here." She smiled snd hugged me one last time before running out of his room.


	2. Surprise

Angel POV:

Oh, god. Max must be in a pretty terrible mood all right. She let me go without grabbing me and telling me to listen, or making me promise to find Fang! But that's okay. Soon we'll all be reunited as a single flock, Max and Fang will be happy, and we can move on.

I so badly want to be Max's little girl again. She would never be able to understand what really happened, so I didn't say, but I was replaced. When we were in the School last time, they put me in a different cage room from the others. I didn't know why, until I saw them flying off outside the window, with another me. Angel Clone I. I felt sad and scared and alone, and the whitecoats tested me on everything in their imaginations. I checked! Some wanted to dissect my body, but I immediately mind controlled out of this. Eventually I got the smart idea to mind control myself into freedom, and it worked. It took me a while to find the flock, and when I got there, fake Angel had taken over. It was odd, watching someone else try to be me and terribly fail. That night, Max was in bed crying, the others were all asleep, and I broke in through a window and killed the fake Angel after challenging her to a one-on-one battle. I took my place in my room and fell asleep. But the next day, I didn't understand what was going on. That's why I apologized. Because I thought she should know that I didn't mean harm, that's all.

Now, finding Fang will be more difficult since he's the only one, like, not in a flock. At least I don't think so! I'll have to use my mind for now to locate somewhat where he is, to start my search off. God, Fang, why'd you have to leave?


	3. Regret

Fang's POV:

I don't know how I can take the pain any longer. I don't know why I haven't turned back by now. It would have been so much easier if, say, I had never left. But I have a growing suspicion that if I come back now Max will kick my butt to heaven! What could I say to her to make up for the horrible losses this no doubt caused her as well as the ones it caused me? I can be so stupid sometimes with big decisions.

See, I never really wanted to leave. But after Dylan talked to me about how my staying put the flock, and my wonderful Max especially, into danger, I just couldn't risk it. I couldn't bear the thought that the reason the baddies kept finding us and were tracking us down was me. So I wrote a long, heartfelt note explaining partly why I left, packed a little travel bag including Max's computer, and flew away. The whole first day was unbearable. My wings would turn of their own accord and go towards home, and I had to force them to go the other direction.

I've no doubt Angel will try to find me for Max. I put up a mind block so she'll have a ton of trouble getting to me, and she will never be able to get in anyway. I feel so awful for doing this to everybody.

Of course, fate makes me see only now what a fool I've been. Dylan set this up! He wanted me to leave so it was only him and Max! He wanted to make Max think I was a loser who dumped her and he was the good guy who has wanted her forever! He's the loser! I'm Max's freaking soulmate and he can't change that!

But the part about me leaving is totally true. I was a jerk and left her in the dust to be toyed around with by Dylan. I bet by now she and him are all hooked up and act the way we used to. Before I was gone. Before I was duped into a trap by the horrendous Dylan.

If I go back though, the flock won't understand this. How could they? Have they ever been tricked by their friend?

Actually, yes. Jeb. But let's not think about him since he seems to be good at the moment.

So right now I was flying over Arizona with Ella. I know what you're all thinking, like, Ella can fly? Really you're a nut, dude! But Ella was grafted with avian during one of Jeb's visits, and I found her wandering the sky. She doesn't know why the flock isn't with me and I don't plan on telling her, even if she asks about Iggy. I know she and him are head over heels crushing on each other! Iggy and Ella sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g! Okay, I'm over it!

I put out an ad on my blog for other mutants to reply to. I plan to collect an army of mutants and use them to destroy every branch of Itex that ever existed. As well as Chu Corporation and whoever Gunther-Hagen works for. And Dylan.

Dylan especially, for said reasons before.

Ella is used to my silent treatment and knows it's not personal. I like that about her, how she knows me. Not in that way you perverts out there!

The sun was shining on me full in the face so I had my eyes closed, using my inner compass to guide me. I just hoped we didn't run into something else in the air 'cause I'd be toast!

Wanna know what I was thinking about?

Max.

My amazingly wonderful Maximum Ride.

I thought about the way her hair shines in the morning light when we're taking off. I thouht about how peaceful and loving her open face looks while she sleeps. I thought of how we used to tease each other when we were little. I thought of all those times she rejected me before she loved me back. I thought about her soft mouth under mine. I thought about Max. Before. I. Left.

I had just decided that I absolutely must abandon this "Save the World and Max" plan and return to my regular life with the addition of Max's half sister when I heard Ella scream.


	4. Trust

Fang POV:

I whipped around, almost tearing my wings out before I saw the problem. Ella was attempting to hover and fight, like us in the flock do naturally, but since she wasn't trained she was having a pretty tough time of it. She was losing height by the second. And, attacking her so he could get through to me, was Dylan.

Dylan! What was he doing here? Trying to get himself killed? He had to know by now how I felt about him! And he was attacking Max's sister! I bet he didn't even know they were related. Ha! Serves him right, the punishment he'll get from Max when he gets back!

Unless... had Max sent him? Was she over me? Was she really going to dump me for this insane LOSER? I had to know. I rushed forward to save Ella and get myself some answers.

Let's just say, Dylan had stepped up his battle skills since we'd last met. We were matching each other blow for blow, wince for wince. Eventually, I figured out his major weakness: he couldn't pick out when I was faking or not! He always went for it! Playing on this, I swerved to my right. As I had predicted, he followed, and as his fist swung toward my face I grabbed, reversed, and dislocated his elbow and shoulder on my way around to the left.

Just as before, he was unprepared to deal with pain. I guess Max still needed to give him some more training. He started losing altitude, just as he had done to Ella, and I caught her on my way down to Dylan, who was now lying on the edge of a forest. Luckily, nobody was near enough to see us, otherwise I would have been in deep trouble.

"Fang, you stupid, pathetic idiot!" he gasped out between ragged breaths.

"Why, hello Dylan, and I could say the same to you. I suggest you spill the beans quickly so your death is all of a moment long." He gaped at me, then winced and rubbed his sore jawbone.

"You know Fang, I came because when you left Max became a shell. She never leaves your room. She keeps all your stuff around her and she won't eat or talk to anyone. If you enter her area, she freaks out on you. All because you were so stupid and had to throw her away. And for what? What are you even doing all the way out here? And you know how you can tell it's bad? Because I, Dylan, am here telling you. Why else would I be seeking you out?"

I let him lose some steam, then did some of my own thinking. He was right, Max probably was having a physical breakdown. But there was another thing I had to clear up.

"Hey, you were the one who suggested I leave, to protect her! You said my being near her was going to get her killed!" I was yelling at the top of my lungs now. I missed my Max so badly, I'd been pushing against my own free will to keep her safe, and it turned out it was all for nothing and she was going to hate me for it hen I came back. Yeah, that's my life in a nutshell for you.

I put Ella down because she seemed to be aware again.

"Who's that, anyway? Did you replace Max or something? Oh, I get it, you ran away from her so you could have this loser instead. So nice." He grumbled something else under his breath that I couldn't catch.

"Dylan, shut it or I'll tell Max what you just said about her sister."

His face turned red, he sucked for more air. He managed to choke out, "Oh my god, this... is... her sister? That she talks about? I'm sorry, I didn't know, forgive me, I'm Dylan, and I deserve Max way more than this guy over here who I see you've met named Fang."

He stood to try and give a proper introduction.

"Sorry, Dylan, but I've known Fang for a long time and he's trustworthy and good for Max. You can go on your own naughty way this instant." I was so proud of Ella at that instant.

"Fine, I will. But I'm going back to Max. Fang, Ella, feel free to come. Just as long as you don't say another word to me."

Lead us to Max? Was he kidding big time? Of course I was going to follow him! I motioned for Ella to stay quiet and flew up behind him, setting myself up for a long, boring fly. I sensed Ella do the same behind me.

Finally, I was getting closer to my Max again. I was going to get Max back!


End file.
